Xeneta Weekly Ocean Container Shipping Market Update: Spot rates split sharply this week
Spot rates split sharply this week: up 14% into the US West Coast while Asia to Europe falls 5%. Peter Sand on Hormuz transits and last-minute blanked sailings. Peter Sand, Xeneta Chief Analyst: “As the ‘dance macabre’ for all stakeholders within the maritime supply chains continues around the Strait of Hormuz; uncertainty leaves maritime safety ...
Spot rates experienced significant fluctuations this week, with a sharp 14% increase for shipments to the US West Coast and a 5% decrease for routes from Asia to Europe. Peter Sand, Xeneta's Chief Analyst, noted the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on maritime transportation. He emphasized that since mid-July, the number of daily transits has dropped to about one-tenth of pre-war levels, causing considerable disruptions to the shipping industry.
The average container shipping freight rates for the week of 6 August 2026 were as follows: Far East to US West Coast - USD 6,824 per FEU (40ft container), Far East to US East Coast - USD 9,988 per FEU, Far East to North Europe - USD 4,965 per FEU, Far East to Mediterranean - USD 6,079 per FEU, and North Europe to US East Coast - USD 2,703 per FEU.
Notably, rates to the US West Coast and East Coast increased by 13.8% and 12.8% respectively, while rates to North Europe and the Mediterranean decreased by 4.9% and 4.8% respectively.
Written by urgent.news from Hellenic Shipping News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
